Three firms vie for Cincinnati streetcar line work

Cincinnati city officials Friday said three companies have submitted bids to build the city's $115 million, 3.6-mile initial streetcar line.

The bids themselves will not be made public until sometime next week.

City officials also gave the final go-ahead for CAF USA to begin manufacture of five streetcars for the project. The first car is expected to be delivered in July 2014, with one car per month being anticipated to arrive after that. CAF USA is the U.S. subsidiary of Besain, Spain-based Constucciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles. Under the $20.5 million contract, CAF USA is expected to assemble the streetcars at its Elmira, N.Y., facility.